Wireless connectivity is a feature of the modern telecommunications environment. An increasing range of people are using a wide variety of wireless data networks to access corporate data applications.
However, there are numerous competing mobile devices (i.e. wireless computing devices) that can be used to achieve this. Each device has its own operating system and its own display characteristics. Operating systems are not mutually compatible, nor are the display characteristics—some are color, some are black and white, some are text-only, and some are pictorial.
At the same time, an increasing number of mobile device users are people without a technical background or high level of educational achievement. Such people are often intimidated by the need to run complex installation programs. Furthermore, at present, such installation programs generally depend on cable connections to a personal computer by the means of a ‘cradle’ or other such device.
U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2003/0060896, which is hereby incorporated by reference hereinto, discloses a mechanism allowing server-side applications to be presented at multiple wireless devices with minimal modification of the application at the server. As disclosed, the manner in which an application is presented at a mobile device is defined by a text based application definition file. The definition file describes how an application is to be presented at mobile device; the format of transactions over the wireless network; and a format of data related to the application to be stored at the mobile device. A virtual machine software component at the mobile device interprets the definition file and presents an interface to the application in accordance with the definition file. Conveniently, the application definition file may be independent of the particular type of mobile device, while virtual machine software components specific to the mobile device may be created.
The disclosed mechanism, while flexible, may have certain shortcomings. For example, in the event that an error occurs which interferes with normal application operation at the mobile device, which may manifest itself in the display of erroneous information at the mobile device or in the failure of the device to respond to stimuli, it may be difficult to ascertain whether the error is caused by the virtual machine software being used at the mobile device, a problem relating to the hardware at the mobile device (e.g. limited battery power or exhaustion of memory), or other problems. The user cannot not be relied upon to take steps to diagnose the problem at the mobile device because the user may lack the necessary technical expertise and because normal interaction with the device may be impossible.
Alternatively, it may simply be desirable to periodically assess the status of all or some of the mobile devices which are executing server-side applications, regardless of whether they are currently experiencing errors, e.g. in order to compile a list of which errors (if any) have occurred most recently or most frequently at the mobile devices, to determine how the mobile devices are being used, or for other purposes.
A solution addressing at least some of the above-noted shortcomings would be desirable.